Fearless Girls, Wise Women, and Beloved Sisters

Heroines in Folktales From Around the World

Dismayed by the predominance of male protagonists and heroes in her daughters' books, the author set out to collect the stories of forgotten heroines: courageous mothers, clever young girls and warrior women who save villages from monsters, rule wisely over kingdoms and outwit judges, kings and tigers. Gathered from around the world, from regions as diverse as sub-Saharan Africa and Western Europe, from Native American cultures and New World settlers, from Asia and the Middle East, these one hundred folk tales celebrate strong heroines.